Fight to Win!

Fight to Win!

My name is Kyle Alfriend, and I will be running 500 miles with Team in Training. 474 miles of training, plus 26.2 miles at the Columbus Marathon this October.

Why?

1. In dedication to my son Tyler Alfriend.

2. To raise money and awareness for leukemia and lymphoma research.

Why?

Last October I volunteered to work one of the water stations at the Columbus Marathon. As it turns out, the water station was run by staff and volunteers of the Leukemia – Lymphoma Society. I spent the next 6 hours giving water to runners and learning all about the need for more research into cures for leukemia and lymphoma.

Only three weeks later my son Tyler, a healthy and athletic 15 year old with no prior symptoms, was diagnosed with advanced stage IV Burkitt’s Leukemia and Lymphoma, a rare and fast growing cancer that can double in size every 16 hours. Over the next several days we learned the cancer has spread through his intestines, stomach, kidney, liver, spleen, bladder, omentum, pancreas, then advanced into his heart and both lungs, and finally into 85% of his bone marrow.

As each test and surgery brought worse news, Tyler's resolve strengthened. Always the competitor and athlete, Tyler insisted cancer would never stop him. With God’s help, Tyler vowed to fight and win. A few days later he came up with his battle slogan:

Fight to Win!

The entire community immediately came out to support Tyler. To keep supporters updated on Tyler’s battle, we started a blog.

tyleralfriend.blogspot.com

We invite you to read the blog and follow Tyler's battle.

Tyler spent almost every day of the next 5 months in the hospital undergoing intensive chemotherapy and surgeries. Today the cancer is on the retreat. Tyler is still receiving chemo, but the side effects are manageable to the point that he is able to stay home most days.

Now about Team in Training: In honor of Tyler and his struggle, I have decided to run the Columbus marathon to help raise money for cancer research. We have seen what these kids go through. We have seen the destruction of this horrible disease. We have seen the deviating effects of poisonous chemo being pumped into their bodies. We have sat along with too many parents, feeling alone, helpless, scared, and angry. We have watched far too much suffering…attended far too many funerals. There is a cure. We need to find it.

I ask you to donate to the research in honor of Tyler on this site. I hope you will visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress. Thank you for your support!

The Running Log - 500 Miles

I have commited to Tean in Training, which is running 3 days a week, and crossing training 3 days a week. The coach told me that completing the training was 10% physical and 90% mental. That good to hear. When I told my wife what I was doing, she said I was mental...so it looks like I'm almost there. Here is the record of my 500 miles: 474 miles of training to a 26.2 mile race.

5/6 – 3 miles – Done It was recommended I start a log with my thoughts of each run. So here it goes. 1st mile –this is easy. 2nd mile – I think I’m going to die. 3rd mile - Someone please shoot me!

5/8 – 3 miles – Done. 2nd day out was a lot easier.

5/10 - 3 miles – Done.

5/13 – 3 miles – Done. For encouragement I decided to add up all the training miles and check them off as I completed them. Including the marathon, it totals 500 miles. 500 miles. Wow. It was really a stupid idea to add up those miles.

5/15 – 3 miles – Done. Got new running shoes. The guy at Roadrunner Sports said they have every imaginable running shoe. So I asked for the king with the little wheels in the sole. They didn’t have any of those.

5/18 – 4 miles – Done. I had committed to run Race for the Cure, so I skipped the training run. The race is only 3.1 miles, so when I hit the finish line I “U” turned and ran back a mile, and then back in. I now know what a salmon swimming up stream feels like. But I go my 4 miles in.

5/20 – 4 miles – Done.

5/22 – 4 miles – Done. This one was hard. I am hurting. I’ve been hurting since cross training yesterday. Are there any fund raisers that involve sitting in a hot tub drinking cold beer?

5/24 – 4 miles - Done. Great run! Best time, and it was a blast. I am very slow. I try to run a 10 min mile, but have only been able to keep it for 1 mile. Today I held that pace for 2.25 miles, even with two hills. Slowed a little after the last hill, but still finished with my best time.

5/27 – 4 miles - Done - Team run in Antrim Park. Note to remember: Work on lung capacity before running evening in the woods at Antrim Park. My gapping mouth and the large gnat population do not go together.

5/29 – 4 miles - Done - Beautiful evening to run.

6/1 – 5 miles - Done - This one was harder, but talking with the trainer and other runners helped a lot on the second half.

6/3 – 4 miles - Done - In the rain, but good run.

6/5 – 4 miles - Done - Hard run. Very hot. Got through with the support of the team.

6/8 – 4 miles - Done - Great run.

6/10 – 4 miles - Done

6/12 – 4 miles-Done. This was hard. Stroms cancelled training, so I went to the rec center. Had not eaten all day, and gave blood two hours earlier. First three miles were good, but then I started getting dizzy. But I finished.

6/14 – 5 miles - Great run. Went by myself because I needed an early start (Had Travis's graduation party).

6/17 – 3.1 miles - race -Done Actually I missed the race due to a prior engagement, so I ran 5 miles in the afternoon

6/19 – 4 miles (0.75 AT) - Done Not my best time, but felt good. And passed a few people...and I think they actually moving when I passed them. Real people ... running ... not just old people with walkers. I did slow down enough to make sure they were breathing. I think as long as they are breathing it counts as a pass.

6/22 – 6 miles - Done - Longest run of training. Felt real good.

6/24 – 4 miles - Done

6/26 – 4 miles (1.0 AT) - Done - Best 4 mile time so far.

6/28 – 7 miles - Done - The hills were hard, but this was a good run. Felt better than the 6 miler. I found out today that one of my fellow runners has a wife in remission from Burkitt's. Small world. Fewer than 300 cases per year.

7/1 – 4 miles - Done - Not my best time, but a fun run. 101 training miles down! Only 399 miles to the finish line!

7/3 – 4 miles (1.25 AT) - Done - Great run!

7/6 – 8 miles - Done - The great thing about running longer than I ever have before is that, no matter how I do, it is a person record. So here I go - I ran my best 8 mile time ever! Actually it was a hard one. I did good the first 6 miles, but slowed my pass a little in the last 2 miles.

7/8 – 4 miles - Done - Wow. That really hurt. That was a hard run, but I don't know why. Ran on my own because I can not make training tonight. maybe I am just still hurtin from Sunday's 8 mile. This was that hardest time I have had so far.

7/10 – 5 miles (1.5 AT)- Done-Not my best time, but much better than Tuesdays 4 mile.

7/12 – 9 miles - Done - Now I am hurting. The last 4 runs have been harder than ussual. I am meeting with the coach to re-evaluate my diet and cross-training. But i finished. I was very slow at the end, but I was running the whole way. Did not come in last in the group, but was very close.

7/15 - 5 miles - Done Great run!

7/17 - 5 miles - Done This was a difficult run, a little slower pace. it was 96 degrees, and only about 8 of the team members showed up for practice.

7/19 – 10 miles – race - Done! First official race of training! It was a hard one, but I finished. Strong hip and back pain by the 3rd mile. My left leg was in bad shape. My feet were covered on blisters, I think because I was running differently due to the hip and back problem. Been on ice packs for 2 days, which does seem to be helping a lot. I am also going to look for new shoes now that we are increasing the distance. This week I will double up on the cross training and slow down on the week-day runs until my back improves. The training scedual backs off now, with just 5 and 6 mile runs for the next few days. Now I know why. I will be much more prepared for the next 10 milers, which is in 2 weeks.

7/22 – 5 miles - Done - Still hurting from the 10 miler. Hard run. Very hard.

7/24 – 5 miles (1.75 AT) - Done - Took it slow, and this was a much better run.

7/26 – 6 miles - Done - Still seem to be hurting from the 10 mile. I need to slow down for a while.

7/29 - 5 miles - Done - Doing better. The higp and back pain are improving. The new shoes caused some blisters, but I think I can work them in. I took it slow again, but the run felt better.

7/31 – 6 miles (2.0 AT) - Done Very good run. I think I am backl from the injury on the 10 mile. Most enjoyable run since the race.

8/3 – 10 miles - Done - This was a great 10 miles. I am fully recovered from the injury.

8/5 – 6 miles - Done - Good run

8/7 – 6 miles (2.25 AT) Done - A little sore, and look a slow pace. Okay run. Getting ready for 12 on Saturday.

8/9 – 12 miles - Done - that was hard! but i beat my 1st 10 mile time.

8/12 – 6 miles - Done - Okay run.

8 14 – 6 miles (2.5 AT) - Done - Slow and easy. Took an injury on the last run.

8/17 – 14 miles - Done - Now that was tough. Did good for the first 12 miles, beating last weeks 12 mile time..and almost beating my best 10 mile time. But then I crashed and burned. I was dragging the last two miles. But I got it done! Next week is the 1/2 marathon race, and i will be ready.

8/19 – 6 miles - Done- Slow and easy. Still recovoring from the week-end.

8/21 – 6 miles (2.75 AT) - Done - Nice easy run.

8/24 – 13.1 miles – race - Done - Passed the mid-term! About 10 min. behind my goal, but I finished. At the 10 mile mark I was 7 min ahead of my time at the 10 mile race a few weeks ago.

8/26 – 7 miles - Done - Feeling good after the 1/2 marathon

8/28 – 7 miles (3.0 AT) - Done - Great run.

8/30 - 8 miles - Done - This was hard for some reason. Should have been a real easy run. I guess I need to pick up on the cross training as my miles increase.

9/2 – 7 miles -Done - Took this one slower. I feel like I have hit a wall. Per my trainer, the only solution to that is to run through it. No easy way out. I have added swimming to the cross training, and I think that is helping. I also need to be more careful pon the diet. This is the make or break month. The miles really crank up. This weekend--16 miles. If i keep up up pace in September, I know I can handle the marathon.

9/4 – 7 miles (3.25 AT) - Done - Still running strong!

9/7 – 16 miles - Done - WOW! 16 miles is a very long way! As had been my trend, I did good until I broke my distance record. I held strong through 14 miles, then I lost my pace for the last two. But I felt much better than I did on the 14 miler. Next week-end will be hard. I will be traveling, so I will need to do the 18 miles by myself. I really like running with the team much better than going solo.

9/9 – 7 miles - Done - Great run!

9/11 – 7 miles (3.5 AT) - Done - Did not feel too good, but got through the run. Actually did 9 miles -- I missed the turn around spot!

9/13 – 18 miles - DONE! - WOW. 18 miles is a long way. I injured ny right foot (my Plantar Fasciitis), which slowed me down on the final 2 miles.

9/16 - 8 miles - Done - Took it slow. Still nursing the foot.

9/18 – 7 miles (3.75 AT) - Done - Good run. Foot is still sore, but it is getting better.

9/21 – 16 miles - Done - Now that was hard. I am getting to learn a lot about the Plantar Fasciitis. Now the pain is running up the entire leg and hip. I need to meet with one of the trainers for advice.

9/23 – 8 miles - Done - This was my hardest run ever. I need to work on this injured foot.

9/25 – 7 miles (4.0 AT) -Done - The foot is doing better. I ran very slow and walked the hills (per doctor and trainer orders), but the foot is feeling better. Since I was moving slower, I went a couple of extra miles. We will see how the 20 miles goes on Sunday.

9/28 – 20 miles – race - DONE! - 20 miles is a long, long way. I was about 15 mins slower than my goal, but still happy with the time. At 13 miles I was over 10 min faster than my personal best time, and at 16 miles about 8 min ahead of my best time. At 18 I lost my pace, but still finished the race.

9/30 – 8 miles - Done - Hard run after the 20 miler.

10/2 – 8 miles (3.5 AT) - Done - Feeling much better. This was a good run.

10/4 – 14 miles - Done - Last double-digit training run! This was a good run.

10/7 – 6 miles - Done - Little sore, but a good run.

10/9 – 7 miles (3.0 AT) - Done - Felling better.

10/12 – 9 miles - Done - Felt good, so I did one more lap, for a total of 12 miles. I ended up running into a race that was going on. I don't know where they started, but I was way ahead of them. No runners were in sight, and I was the first to cross the finish line! I went home and told Kathy i came in 1st place. She said, "First place in what?" i said I did not know, but I know I was first. She said I was an idiot.

10/14 – 5 miles - Done - Fun run.

10/15 – 5 miles - Done - Fun run.

10/16 – 3 miles - Done - Almost there!

10/19 – 26.2 miles – COLUMBUS MARATHON - DONE!!!

Before the race we had a meeting, and the coach told us that the hard part was done. The training was the hardest part, and the marathon is simply a victory lap. Just in case you are wondering...he lied! Someone told me the half way point of a marathon, physically and mentally, was the 20 mile mark. That is the truth! Actually, I was feeling great through mile 22. But the final 4.2 miles were the hardest I have ever done.

That having been said, this was one of the most gratifying experiences on my life. The coaches and the team were great! A lot of new friends were made. And I owe the entire motivation to my son Tyler. And I saw several of the team members with Tyler’s name or "Fight to Win" written on their shirts. My wife and sons were all there. Travis worked the water station at mile 15. Brandon joined me at mile 17, and ran with me for a couple of miles. Kathy was at the finish, along with Tyler and Erik. My dad ran the last mile with me. And friends were all along the entire run. What a fantastic time.

Now everyone is gone, and I am sitting around looking to do anything that does not involve the use of my legs.